


When Hunk Met Shay

by bingbong21



Series: Let's Get This Show on the Road [3]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Boyband, Boyband!AU, F/M, Human!Shay, Hunk is a ray of sunshine, Pining Hunk (Voltron), and just the best boy in general, coran is also best wingman, flustered!Hunk, lance is the best wingman, pidge is a hoarder, shiro did not sign a contract to babysit four grown children, the paladins are a mess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-09
Updated: 2017-03-09
Packaged: 2018-10-01 11:22:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10188845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bingbong21/pseuds/bingbong21
Summary: Logically, Hunk knew true love at first sight wasn't an actual thing. He knew it was all biochemical reactions inducing physiological responses, and that real love took a lot of hard work. But oh....oh, one look at her, and Hunk could easily say he was a goner; if she asked for anything, he'd do it just to see her smile again.Prequel to "The Nyma Situation"





	

Despite the air conditioning running on full blast throughout the building Hunk could still feel the sweat running down the side of his face, the orange headband tied around his forehead doing nothing to deter its path. He set the box down in front of the elevator, groaning at the dull ache in his arms and back making itself more pronounced. He leaned back, pressing his palms into his lower back; a small crack followed by a release of tension produced a sigh of relief. Satisfied with his stretch Hunk picked up the list lying on the table next to the box, scanning the list of items that Pidge requested and that Coran had sworn were buried somewhere in the company’s storage room. 

On the last group expedition into the room they had come across some special effect gadgets and a box of crystals that Coran had stated came from an area known as Balmera. Pidge and Hunk had immediately confiscated the items and begun talks of upgrading the equipment, excitement glittering in their eyes and the conversation going over everyone’s head save for Coran who promised to assist whenever he wasn’t busy assisting Allura with other duties. Thus began an endeavor that would encompass the entire common area, last for multiple months, and train everyone to be proficient in putting out electrical fires and using a fire extinguisher to the point that it became second nature. It had been a very rough couple of months for Shiro, who every time he saw a gadget burst into flames would freeze as he flashbacked to his accident. 

(In an unexpected twist, it had actually been Keith who seemed to already perform it automatically. When asked, he merely shrugged and replied that they “weren’t the first ones trying to burn down where I live.”

They weren’t entirely sure if they wanted him to elaborate, so it was left at that.)

After they had finished their modifications and testing, it was deemed ready to debut on their first tour, taking place during the summer. The response from critics had been unanimous: the show they had put on using the modified tech and crystals had been spectacular, and that if they kept it up with the music they were producing they were surely on the fast track to becoming one of the biggest names in the industry. Keeping that in mind and eyes shining with the fire that only thoughts of overtaking Zarkon could produce, Allura had ordered Pidge and Hunk to expand upon the original model in any and every way possible. 

“You sure everything she needs is in these?” Hunk asked, glancing up at Coran. The other man carefully placed a box onto the trolley before straightening up. 

“Of course I’m sure,” Coran sounded offended at Hunk for even entertaining the thought he was potentially wrong, “I was the one who oversaw the cataloguing and labeling of every single one of those boxes down there; if anyone would know, it’d be me!”

“Just saying, Pidge gets really mad when her requests aren’t met.” Hunk conceded, hands raised defensively. Coran nodded, stroking his mustache as the elevator doors opened with a tinny _ding_. 

“Quite alright; we all have moments of doubt.” Coran replied, picking up a box that didn’t fit onto the trolley and entering the elevator. Hunk walked behind him, pushing the heavy trolley with ease. He leaned against the handle, eyebrow raising as he watched Coran press not only the button for their rooms, but also for the lobby. 

“Uh…Don’t we have to drop this off to Pidge,” Hunk asked, gesturing at the boxes littering the elevator. Coran hummed, shifting his grip on the box he was carrying. 

“I called our previous Balmeran crystal supplier and asked them to come out today.” Coran glanced at his watch as best he could with the box blocking his view. “They should be arriving any minute now, and someone needs to be at the door to greet them.” 

“Oh, uh, alright then,” Hunk replied, straightening up. “I guess I’ll just drop these off to Pidge and see you in a later then?” 

“Nonsense,” Coran sniffed, “If I let you and Pidge have at it without properly overseeing the initial box opening myself, this building is liable to burst into flames!” 

“You let _one_ little fire get half a centimeter out of a containment zone, and everyone holds it against you.” Hunk grumbled. That one hadn’t even been either of their faults as their good-natured and well-meaning Blue Paladin had accidentally caused the miniature spread in his attempts to put it out; yet everyone always pointed the blame back to Pidge and Hunk. 

“So I believe it is in the group’s best interests to have you waiting while I make sure everything is in order before coming to down to greet them myself!” Coran said, ignoring Hunk’s grumblings. “Besides, it shows that our Paladins have a healthy interest in all workings of the company, a trait that our previous Paladins were well-known for.” 

“True,” Hunk nodded as the doors opened. He stepped out, giving a brief wave as Coran shooed him out. As soon as the doors had closed Hunk sighed, shoulders hunching into a tired slouch. He began his stroll down the hallway, pulling out his phone; if he was going to be sitting and waiting for someone, he might as well get some social media in before he buries himself into work with Pidge. 

He saw that Lance had posted one of his morning selfies, telling his followers to have a day as beautiful as he was; vain and potentially flirtatious, but certainly well-meaning. The next thing he saw was a post from Pidge of all the boxes they had brought up in the first round, captioned that Christmas had come early; the rest of the allotted character limit was taken up by exclamation points and emoticons indicating her excitement. Immediately following it was a video Lance had taken, the still shot being Pidge’s legs sticking out from a box as big as she was; Hunk pressed play, already feeling the smile take over his face. Pidge’s legs immediately began flailing about as she tossed various items out of the box. 

“Oh, if we recalibrate _this_ , then we could do _that_ , and and oh my God guys just _look_ at this!” 

“Yeah Shiro look,” Lance’s voice came out; it was obvious he was trying very hard to not burst into laughter. The camera panned over to Shiro, who was staring at Pidge while holding his coffee mug with a look that they had dubbed Shiro’s “My contract did not say I had to care for four overgrown children”. Slowly Shiro turned to the camera with the look on his face; this, coupled by Pidge’s squeal and Lance’s failure to contain himself as his snort indicated were Hunk’s undoing. He wasn’t sure how long he had been laughing, but the next thing he knew he was leaning against the wall in the lobby, holding his stomach as he tried to catch his breath. 

“Um, sir, are you alright?”

Hunk exhaled, wiping his eyes as he put his phone away. “Oh yeah, I’m totally fine Miss…uh…”

In that moment, Hunk’s breath was stolen away for a completely different reason. Standing in front of him was a young woman around his age staring at him with eyes the color of honey filled with concern. Her black hair was cropped close to her head, the tight curls so small and close to her head that one could almost imagine her wearing a textured swim cap. The large, thin golden hoops hanging off her ears glinted in the sunlight filtering through the windows; they matched the golden patterns that started at her sleeves and went down the sides of her dark green dress. He couldn’t help but notice how the dress complimented her dark skin tone, the color of the earth after having been soothed by a desperately needed rainstorm. Cinching her waist was a brown belt, accentuating the curves created by her thick hips, thighs, and ample chest. But what caught Hunk’s attention the most was the kindness in her voice, the softness that she addressed him with as she looked up at him; her eyebrows scrunched together cutely, he noted. 

“-ir? Sir, can you hear me?”

Hunk shook his head, snapped out of his daydream. “Sorry, what was that? I uh…I kinda spaced out for a second.” He’d have to remember to go back into the security footage and delete this moment, lest Pidge find it and play it for the entire team to see. 

The woman’s shoulders sagged with relief, a hand placed over her heart. “Oh, it’s alright. My name is Shay; I was told to come here by a Mister…Coran, was it?”

“That would be correct!”

Hunk jumped, whirling around to find Coran standing in the doorway, the end of a mustache pinched between his thumb and index finger. Hunk didn’t have long to wonder how long Coran had been standing there, as the man gave him a conspiratorial smile and clasped him on the shoulder. 

“And this fine young chap right here is our kind and compassionate Yellow Paladin, Hunk,” Coran pointed at Hunk, tone belying the rapidly unfolding plot in his mind. “Quite the catch if I do say so myself; strong bass voice, always there with a shoulder to cry on and an ear to listen, and quite a brilliant engineer!”

_“Coran,”_ Hunk groaned, tilted his head back; he heard Shay giggle and felt a flush begin on his face. Coran merely waved his hand, continuing onward with listing Hunk’s merits. 

“That’s not even mentioning the fact that his cooking is phenomenal! Or well, that’s what the other paladins say; I myself prefer my own creations.” 

“Perhaps if my business today lasts until the evening, I can be an unbiased judge,” Shay offered, “If, of course, you’ll have me.” 

“Of course I’ll have you!” Hunk shouted; his face flushed a darker shade as Shay stared openly at him, a light blush on her own face. “I uh, I-I mean… _we’ll_ have you. _We_ , as in all of us. Coran, Allura, Keith, Pidge, Shiro, and Lance included. Not just me. Heh…hehe…”

What little dignity Hunk had left was salvaged when Coran cleared his throat, drawing both young adults’ attention to him. “Well, I’ll let Allura know that our guest has arrived! In the meantime, Hunk, why don’t you escort Ms. Shay and introduce her to the other paladins? I’m sure they’ll be delighted to meet her.” 

“Right,” Hunk exclaimed, nodding enthusiastically, “I’ll get on that right now!”

Coran smiled, giving a small nod before turning on his heel to notify Allura. Hunk gave a small smile, rubbing the back of his neck as he turned to fully face Shay once again. 

“So….” Hunk leaned forward on the balls of his feet, falling back on his heels as he jerked his thumb at the door. “Shall we, you know…meet the guys?”

Shay nodded, returning his small smile with a large one of her own. “I’d like that.”

* * *

As Hunk and Shay surveyed the common area before them Hunk realized that, in retrospect, when he was talking about his teammates he should have probably mentioned how quickly they were able to take a relatively normal setting and utterly _destroy_ it. 

“Shiro,” Pidge shouted, head popping out of the box she had seated herself in; various wires and cords hung limply from her head, “Do you _see_ this? I could make a fog machine that’s ten times-no wait, _twenty_ times more powerful than what we could buy from a supplier!” 

“That’s great to hear Pidge.” Shiro grunted, readjusting his grip on Keith, who he was currently holding under his arm like a football. “So help me if _you don’t stop..._ ” 

“Yeah Keith, listen to Shiro.” Lance taunted, daring to lean forward from his safe distance from the Red Paladin. He yelped as Keith attempted to lunge at Lance, only for Shiro to successfully hold him back. 

“Just try me Lance, I _dare_ you.” He snarled, pounding and clawing at Shiro’s prosthetic in an attempt to get at Lance. So preoccupied with his attempts at escape that he barely seemed to notice the water dripping into his eyes from his hair, or the fact that he was only clad in a bath towel hanging low on his hips in a room full of people; a fact that everyone else seemed fine with ignoring. 

“Uh…hey guys,” Hunk called; the noise disappeared as all eyes trained themselves on Hunk; he gave a slight wave. “What’s uh…what’s happening?” 

“Oh nothing much, just Pidge living her dream as a hoarder and Keith fulfilling his life goal of being a nudist murderer.” Lance shrugged, gesturing idly at the aforementioned people. Pidge merely rolled her eyes as she went back to digging into her box, while Keith appeared to be trying to kill Lance using only his glare. “The more important question is, _who_ is your lady friend?” 

Four audible groans could be heard as Shay giggled, stepping forward and holding out her hand. “My name is Shay; my family and I supply Balmeran crystals and other natural products to companies and private buyers throughout the country.” 

Lance grasped her hand gently, bending at the waist to press a light kiss to the back of her palm. “Well the name’s Lance, and I supply all the lovely ladies around here with a good time if they so desire.” He finished his spiel with a wink and giving her a flirtatious smirk; Shay blushed, pressing her other hand to her mouth as she giggled. 

“What woman besides your mom have you shown a good time Lance?” Pidge asked, popping back out of the box like a prairie dog. Lance squawked in embarrassment, storming over to Pidge while avoiding the haphazardly strewn about pieces of equipment. 

“I’ll have you know I’ve taken _plenty_ of girls out!” 

“Pics or it didn’t happen.” 

As Lance scrambled to pull out his phone to show Pidge his many senior year dates, Shiro stepped forward with Keith still under his arm. “Sorry about all this,” Shiro said, extending his left arm out to her; Shay returned the firm handshake. “My name is Shiro, over there in the box is Pidge, and this is Keith.” 

“Who you can set down _any_ time now,” Keith grumbled, arms crossed over his chest as he glared up at Shiro. Shiro met his gaze with a look that easily could have been interpreted as a young father having to explain to a stubborn child for the hundredth time why no, he could _not_ do that. 

“I told you, not until I’m sure you won’t try to kill Lance in a blind rage.” 

“ _He_ taped stupid cat memes all over _my_ room!”

“You’ve seemed grouchy lately, so I thought you’d want to be surrounded by your people.” Lance shot from across the room, spurring another round of struggling from Keith. Pidge swiped through Lance’s phone, face scrunched in deep concentration as she went through every last picture of Lance’s dates. 

“Lance this chick is from a perfume ad; you did _not_ date her.” 

“Rude,” Lance huffed, running his fingers through his hair, “I easily won her over with my charms, and she agreed to pose for me!” 

Pidge rolled her eyes, tossing the phone back to Lance as she dove back into her box. “Right, and Coran and I are debating our wedding date to either April fifth or May fourth.” 

As Lance and Pidge began to bicker over whether or not Lance _could_ date a perfume model, Hunk felt his shoulders slump forward in defeat, an apology already on his lips. All words died in his throat though as Shay turned towards him, mirth causing her eyes to glitter like warm amber in the sunlight. He knew he was most likely gaping like a fish but, if he were being honest, if this was the result of getting to hear her laugh then he’d gladly engineer himself a set of gills to complete the look. 

“Grandmother told stories of the old Paladins, but from her stories I’d imagined you being more…stiff.” She explained, taking Hunk’s struck face as one for confusion. “I had gotten myself so nervous before this meeting that, well…to see you all relaxed like this, is just such a relief!”

Hunk shook his head to gather his thoughts. “Haha, yup, that’s us! The most relaxed group of Paladins you’ll ever meet! Always ready to kick back and make you feel at home!”

He didn’t have to take his eyes off Shay to know that four pairs of eyes were watching him, so potent was their attention. He imagined the gears of each mind turning at varying speeds, each one separately but eventually reaching the same conclusion. The switch in atmosphere from playful to a united mischievous front was palpable enough that Hunk felt himself sweat for a completely different reason than before; thankfully Shay seemed oblivious. Luckily for Hunk, the four were so engrossed in a silent conversation over who would begin the torrential downpour of well-meaning intentions to help Hunk that the release of pressure came from Coran and Allura entering the common area via the elevator.

“Welcome to Altea,” Allura said, extending her hand to Shay, “My name is Allura, and I am the one who owns the company. I hope my Paladins have been treating you…well…”

Similar to the switch in attitude among the paladins, Shay was oblivious to the fact that Allura’s cordial and warm expression belied her unspoken promise that the shenanigans they pulled would not go unpunished. How she always knew what happened was still up for debate as there were no security cameras in the living quarters, although they could cross of the theory of someone tattling off the list. 

“They’ve been wonderful hosts.” Shay replied, pulling her hand back from the handshake. “They’ve certainly set any worries I had at ease.” 

Allura blinked, clearly taken aback by that admission. “Well…If you’ll follow Coran and I, we’ll lead you to the meeting room downstairs. Paladins,” She turned to address the group; everyone straightened up immediately, “I expect everyone downstairs in ten minutes, both on their best behavior _and_ appropriately dressed.” 

None of them could have helped the snicker at the comment even if they had been unable to hear it; Keith’s facial expression said all that was needed.

* * *

Hunk sighed as he lay on the couch, staring up at the ceiling with a dreamy smile on his face. He had tried to pay attention during the meeting, even bringing a notebook to take notes. But all he could focus on was Shay; her voice, the way the fluorescent lights gave her an ethereal glow, the hand gestures she made as she explained what functions of the company were still active. His notebook that he had brought to take studious notes was filled with lackadaisical doodles of Shay, either of her profile or of certain aspects that he had found himself fascinated with during the meeting. Lance and Pidge had silently teased him throughout the meeting, only to stop whenever Shiro scolded the three of them for not paying attention; Keith, blessed Keith who was sitting next to Shiro, only shot knowing smirks Hunk’s way whenever he was caught. The next thing Hunk clearly remembered was them saying their goodbyes to Shay after having secured a contract and Lance handing Shay his number with the promise to talk to her soon. 

_“Guess I never did stand a chance…”_ Hunk sighed, rolling over onto his side as he curled up slightly. Before he could get deep into self-deprecation though he felt his phone buzz in his pocket; most likely Lance or Pidge asking for something, despite the five of them living on the same floor. He unlocked his phone, tapping on the message icon and skimming the message. As he finished though his entire body went rigid, eyes wide with shock; he jolted upright, phone clutched in both hands as a furious flush came over his face. 

_Hey! This is Shay, from earlier? Lance said this was Hunk’s number, so…yeah. Hope this isn’t weird!_

_“Lance,”_ Hunk squealed, throwing himself back on the couch and flailing with joy. He should’ve known he could count on his best friend since high school. 

_“What can I say except, you’re welcome,”_ Lance sang, voice carrying through the walls as he did his best Maui impression.

* * *

Ever since that first text Shay had sent, Hunk and her had been communicating daily via text about how their days were going, learning more about each other with every message sent. For example, Hunk learned that she had an older brother named Rax, and that the both of them worked in the shop that her parents owned after her grandmother had become too elderly to run it herself. However, she stressed, her grandmother came in daily to do little things and chat with any customers that happened to stop in; apparently retirement did not sit well with the older woman. He also learned more serious matters, like how Galra was determined to buy out the town and have a monopoly on the crystals in the caverns as well as build some garish concert hall that would destroy the ecosystem of the surrounding area.

Speaking of the ecosystem, the town and its woods were breathtaking; Shay always managed to send him at least one photo of the area after he had expressed interest in seeing the landscape one day. His phone’s album became a collection of saved images of sunlight streaming through thick foliage in different parts of the forest, of the crystals scattered around cavern openings glittering brilliant fiery hues in the setting sun, and of her family’s daily activities against the background of the quaint town. He made sure to return the favor, taking pictures of life around the city and of his teammates’ antics: Lance and Keith being pulled apart by their ears courtesy of Allura and Shiro, Pidge instructing Coran and Lance to hold specific positions with various wires and cords as she tinkered with larger systems, and Coran’s various meals were more of his notable shots. Slowly their shots evolved into featuring their faces; Shay taking a selfie on a hill watching as the sun rose over the caverns, Hunk sending selfies with his kitchen creations. Everything was going spectacularly well in Hunk’s opinion, which is why he was so confused when the day was almost over and he had yet to hear from Shay. 

Hunk sighed, fiddling with his phone as he lay sprawled out on the couch in the common area. Pidge lifted her head up from the device she was working on and that he was supposed to be assisting with, a frown marring her features. 

“You’ve been staring at your phone all day and sighing wistfully. I’m sure that your girlfriend is just busy with something.” 

“She’s not my girlfriend!” Hunk jolted upwards into a sitting position, flush spreading across his cheeks. “She’s just a rock enthusiast whom I happen to admire and respect very much!” 

“We talking about Hunk’s girlfriend?” Lance asked, coming out of the kitchen carrying granola bars; he tossed one to Pidge, who caught it easily before turning back to her work. He jumped over the back of the couch, bouncing twice before settling in to sit beside Hunk; he casually offered a bar to Hunk. 

“She is _not_ my girlfriend,” Hunk groaned, snatching the bar from Lance’s hands. From behind they could hear the elevator ding, indicating Shiro and Keith had returned from their workout routine together. 

“Yeah,” Pidge spoke from the floor, choosing to ignore Hunk’s protest, “Apparnetly she hasn’t talked to him all day.” 

“Oof, I hate when that happens,” Lance placed a comforting hand on Hunk’s shoulder, “One minute everything is going swimmingly and then _boom!_ Radio silence city; population, you. Worst part is you never know why it happened.” 

“I have a few guesses about why it happened to you,” Keith offered; Lance snapped his head in Keith’s direction, his glare sharp as he immediately retorted, arms gesticulating wildly. Hunk barely noticed though, so preoccupied with his thoughts about what was happening with Shay, about what he possibly could have done wrong. They had been talking every day by this point, even if they were just brief messages or pictures to let the other know that they were thinking of them; maybe he had been coming off too strong and ended up making her feel uncomfortable? Before he could follow the thought down the dark hole it led to, he felt a strong hand on his shoulder grounding him back to the present. He looked up, meeting Shiro’s gentle gray gaze, a small supportive smile on his face. 

“Don’t worry too much Hunk,” Shiro gave a gentle squeeze, “I’m sure she’s just having a busy day.”

Hunk nodded, already feeling the tension and worry leaving his mind at that simple statement. He felt his phone buzz in his pocket, his ringtone suddenly blaring out loud; he took one glance at the name on the screen before the world seemed to stop in that moment. He blinked multiple times to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating, but the name stayed the same no matter how hard he blinked. 

“Guys,” Hunk shouted, slapping Lance in the chest multiple times, “Guys, she’s calling! Shay’s actually calling me!” 

Instantly the atmosphere changed; Lance leaned heavily against Hunk as Shiro leaned down, eyebrow cocked in surprise. Pidge had abandoned her work and was kneeling in front of Hunk, squirming her way between Lance’s stomach and Hunk’s thighs to stare at the screen. Hunk suddenly felt someone breathing over the top of his head, and assumed that somehow Keith had quickly taken position behind them. 

“Well what are you waiting for? Pick it up!” Lance shook Hunk’s shoulder, every molecule of his being seeming to vibrate with excitement. Shiro Pidge, and Keith nodded in agreement, seemingly holding their breath as if afraid that one puff of air would blow the entire situation away. Hunk pushed the accept button on his phone, trembling as he raised the phone to his ear. 

“Uh, h-hey,” Hunk winced, hearing his voice crack; he coughed to get himself back under control. “Hey Shay, how’s it going?” 

Everyone watched expectantly; a feeling of dread formed as they watched Hunk’s face fall from its excited smile to a look of concern. Hunk stood up and began pacing, forcing Pidge to move in order to avoid being trampled. They all shared a look before Lance and Pidge scrambled to their feet to follow Hunk around the room, Keith jumping over the couch in order to follow with Shiro trailing closely behind. 

“I need you to slow down Shay, I can’t…. I can’t understand a thing.” 

“Can you hear anything,” Shiro mumbled; Lance and Pidge shook their heads, frowning heavily. 

“Ugh, no, it’s all muffled.” Lance grumbled, glancing over at Keith, “What about you cat boy?” 

“Just breathe with me now, okay? In…and out….”

Keith crossed his arms over his chest, fixing an annoyed glare at Lance. “One, no I can’t. Two, just because I sometimes fall asleep during the day does not make me a cat.”

“You were curled up on Kaltenecker one time, don’t lie to us,” Pidge shot back; Keith merely huffed in annoyance. 

“Okay, now start from the beginning for me.” Hunk said gently, immediately directing their attention back to the task at hand. Similar to ants on a piece of candy they swarmed around Hunk, each trying to press their ear as close to the phone as possible without interrupting the flow of conversation. Hunk stepped away from them, shooting them an annoyed look as he nodded along to whatever Shay was saying. Quickly the annoyance melted away to reveal a mixture of surprise and concern, his body drooping like a man who has been dealt a crushing blow. Lance was immediately at his side, wrapping an arm around his friend’s shoulder; Hunk glanced at him, reading his unspoken question before turning to address the rest of the group. 

“She…” Hunk swallowed past the lump in his throat, “Sh-She said that Galra now owns Balmera.” 

The silence that followed could only be categorized as the oppressive kind that accompanies the deep sense of dread and despair. As Hunk turned away from the group to continue consoling Shay, the other three turned to Shiro as if he had all the answers they needed. 

“They can’t do this!” Lance shouted, the first to break the silence; he threw his hands into the air as he began to pace. “I mean _can_ they even do this? This has to be illegal right?” 

“I…I don’t know,” Shiro admitted, left hand running through his hair, “They kept the idols as far away from the legal department as possible, and ran us ragged to make sure we were too exhausted to even consider looking it up ourselves.” 

“Even if it is illegal, they have enough people in their pocket to get around it and basically bypass every human right in existence.” Keith muttered darkly, glaring down at the floor. The words were so biting and harsh that the others couldn’t help but be surprised they hadn’t flinched as he spoke them. In the midst of their thoughts, Hunk’s soothing voice broke through as a balm to their frazzled minds. 

“Shay? I…I know it doesn’t look like it now, but…but everything’s gonna be alright. We’re not gonna let them do this; _I’m_ not gonna let them do this.” Hunk paused, listening to Shay’s response. “Of course we’ll help you fight him. We’ll host concerts to raise money for you guys to buy out Galra! And, and you guys can protest and work on drumming up support from other people!” 

Each of the paladins felt their own worries being put at ease as Hunk continued. “…Of course I think we have a chance. I wouldn’t be saying all this if I didn’t.” 

The warm comfort that began by listening to Hunk continued to grow as the young man smiled softly at whatever Shay had said. “Hey, any time. I can’t let a jerk like Zarkon make someone important to me cry.” 

The light blush overtook Hunk’s face, none of it going unnoticed by the paladins. “O-Of course you’re important to me!” Hunk stammered, rocking on his heels as he spoke. “I mean, cuz like…I like you. Like, a lot.” 

Shiro smiled fondly at Hunk, while Pidge merely stared up at the ceiling muttering what sounded like ‘finally’ under her breath. Lance jumped in place, hands covering his mouth in an attempt to muffle the squeaking gasp that left his mouth as his head continually snapped back and forth between Hunk and observing the reactions of his fellow paladins. Keith huffed, rolling his eyes at Lance’s overexcitement but unable to keep his own smile off his face. Their joy was short lived though as Hunk continued to talk, mouth clearly unable to quit due to nerves. 

“A-As a super best friend though,” Hunk managed to squeak out, face burning hotter with every passing second, “Cuz, like, we’ve only known each other for a short time and it’d probably be like…you know, super weird if I just, you know, came out saying I like liked you.” 

Lance froze, eyes wide with shock at the sudden addition to his confession; Shiro, Keith, and Pidge merely tilted their heads back and groaned. Just as quickly as he froze, Lance returned to action, throwing his hands into his hair with a shout and startling the other paladins. 

“Hunk, buddy, _mi amigo_ ,” Lance groaned loudly, dragging his hands down his face, “You know my dating history, _this is the farthest thing from super weird!_ ”

Quickly Keith and Pidge clamped their hands over his mouth in an attempt to muffle the oncoming rant. Hunk glanced over, eyebrow raised as he watched Keith and Pidge dodging Lance’s swinging arms as he ranted and raved at what would normally be an ear-splitting volume. In the background Shiro stood pinching the bridge of his nose, shaking his head, most likely contemplating the different choices he could have made to actively avoid his current situation. 

“Uh-huh…yeah…” Hunk tore his gaze away from his friends, dedicating his attention back to Shay. “Again, anytime. Alright…. yeah, talk to you soon. Bye.” 

Hunk ended the call, turning back to his friends; Lance had calmed somewhat, though his chest was heaving from the exertion that he had put himself through. Shiro no longer looked as if he regretted specific life choices and was instead staring expectantly at Hunk. Keith and Pidge looked worse for the wear, sporting mussed up hair and various red spots where Lance had accidentally smacked them in his rage fueled rant. Looking out at his teammates, the people who he knew he needed to get this done, Hunk felt a swell of determination rising in his chest; he clapped his hands together, snapping all attention on him. 

“Alright,” He rubbed his hands together, a determined grin on his face, “Who wants to help save a town?”

**Author's Note:**

> *shrug* Meh, I guess this passable.


End file.
